Cheetah
The cheetah is a magnificent predator and one of the fastest land animals. This large cat once was found throughout Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Central India, but is now virtually extinct outside Africa, where about 10,000 remain. Habitat destruction, fur hunters, and disease have caused the drop in numbers. Cheetahs are now protected by law and captive-breeding programmes are trying to improve their resistance to disease. The Cheetah is a species from theAcinonyx genus. Cheetahs are found in sub-saharan africa. they are pretty rare animals.Do not play a board game in the jungle because there are cheetahs. Appearence The cheetah's chest is deep and its waist is narrow. The coarse, short fur of the cheetah is tan with round black spots measuring from 2 to 3 cm across, affording it some camouflage while hunting. There are no spots on its white underside, but the tail has spots, which merge to form four to six dark rings at the end. The tail usually ends in a bushy white tuft. The cheetah has a small head with high-set eyes. Black "tear marks" running from the corner of its eyes down the sides of the nose to its mouth keep sunlight out of its eyes and aid in hunting and seeing long distances. Although it can reach high speeds, its body cannot stand long distance running, because it is more suited to short bursts of speed. Behavior Males are often social and may group together for life, usually with their brothers in the same litter; although if a cub is the only male in the litter then two or three lone males may form a group, or a lone male may join an existing group. These groups are called coalitions. In one Serengeti, 41% of the adult males were solitary, 40% lived in pairs and 19% lived in trios. Unlike males and other felines, females do not establish territories. Instead, the area they live in is termed a home range. These overlap with other females' home ranges, often those of their daughters, mothers, or sisters. Females always hunt alone, although cubs will accompany their mothers to learn to hunt once they reach the age of five to six weeks. Diet The cheetah is a carnivore, eating mostly mammals under 40 kg (88 lb), including the Thomson's gazelle, the Grant's gazelle, the springbok and the impala. The young of larger mammals such as wildebeests and zebras are taken at times, and adults too, when cheetahs hunt in groups. Guineafowl and hares are also prey. While the other big cats often hunt by night, the cheetah is a diurnal hunter. It hunts usually either early in the morning or later in the evening when it is not so hot, but there is still enough light. they stink like poo okay don't go by them. they are also cleaver. They do not have that much fun they ply to much. plus they poo. Lifespan Females give birth up to nine cubs after a gestation period of ninety to ninety-eight days, Although the average litter size is three to five. Cubs weigh from 150 to 300 g (5.3 to 11 oz) at birth. Unlike some other cats, the cheetah is born with its characteristic spots. Cubs are also born with a downy underlying fur on their necks, called a mantle, extending to mid-back. This gives them a mane or Mohawk-type appearance; this fur is shed as the cheetah grows older. It has been speculated this mane gives a cheetah cub the appearance of the honey badger (ratel), to scare away potential aggressors. Category:Animal Category:Mammalia Category:Panthera Category:Carnivora Category:Mammals of Africa Category:Big Cats Category:Cats